PKP PLK builds Podłęże–Piekiełko rail project in Lesser Poland by 2030

Announced on 15 October 2025 with the contract for the first new-build section, Szczyrzyc–Tymbark: in Lesser Poland, PKP PLK is modernising and electrifying the 75 km Chabówka–Nowy Sącz line and building a 58 km new line from Podłęże to Tymbark and Mszana Dolna; the new link is due by 2030, with the fastest trains covering Kraków–Nowy Sącz in about 60 minutes. Contracts are awarded for the 8 km Szczyrzyc–Tymbark section with two tunnels (Budimex and Gülermak, nearly PLN 1.7 billion net, completion in mid-2029) and, according to a report of 10 March 2026, for the roughly 20 km Podłęże–Gdów section (Budimex and Ferrovial, nearly PLN 3.2 billion, 46 months of construction). On 2 April 2026 PLK reported the breakthrough of the almost 3.8 km evacuation tunnel at Pisarzowa, the first finished tunnel structure; the machine for the rail tunnel had less than 600 m left to go, and 20 tunnels with a combined length of over 31 km are being built. The date is a placeholder: the article gives only the year 2030 for the new line. (LOK Report, 15 Oct 2025, 10 Mar 2026 and 2 Apr 2026)